From black past of Enron to current Lehman & with our own Satyam Saga, underlines the need to instill values in the budding managers.

There are attempts to to make MBA Oath like Hippocratic Oath.
Idea is to use it globally in B-schools.

By the way Hippocratic oath may not be used by all medical schools & MBA Oath may go in the same way.
More important is will MBA Oath make management profession ethical ?
Draw your conclusions from medical fraternity around you.

Meanwhile enjoy the hilarious take on MBA Oath. (Courtesy – OBTS mailing list)

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There’s nothing subtle about this in-your-face American advert for diarrhoea treatment Imodium, with its huge empty toilet roll attached to the billboard

A green tidal wave was created to promote Nationwide Insurance in Texas. The company had to hire the wall, the car park and the three vehicles before letting loose with the paint

A farmer in America hired out his field to Bic razors for a close shave

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To convince us Formula toothpaste ‘builds strong teeth’, the bottom corner of the poster was removed and fake ties stuck on the back to add to the illusion

The American Bloom supermarket used 3D cakes to advertise its Bloomberry muffins. Then the sign was swapped for one where a jumbo muffin had crushed the hire car below

Blood red paint squirts from Uma Thurman’s sword all over this street and two hire cars in Auckland, New Zealand, to add a touch of gore to a billboard for Tarantino’s film Kill Bill

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This startling advert, over the entrance to a tunnel, is trying to entice Austrian motorists to stop off at Oldtimer, a chain of motorway rest-stops



This provocative underwear poster in New Zealand has a giant skirt attached and when the wind blows it whips up to reveal all



Americans thought twice about leaving their seatbelts undone, thanks to this giant catapult

More such awesome ads coming soon on TNMG. So, keep watching

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3. Awesome funny ad on arrange marriage
4. Indian advertising at its best

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Recently I had chance to interact with group of B school-ers. This is different breed than majority of Indian B-school students who enters B school straight out of college. These characters have significant Industry experience, many are in the late 30’s and few of them are in late 50’s too!  Programs are so called executive or full time.  Event was party at the end of term, Ambiance (!) & absence of any professors added element of creativity within people & the way they crib!

And result was this Prayer,

We need Strength – literary strength; we are nurtured on cut-paste from Google outputs (it works in business – but here they call it plagiarism), our limit of reading is paperbacks, but Institute is handing over big tomes as essential reading.  So big that one has to borrow neighbors Pram to carry books.  Another student has to buy a bag with wheels.  And rest keep on complaining shoulder pain with weight of books. (Institute should check physical fitness from next year)-  Till then we pray …..

• Oh God give me the strength, (Literary to carry the book-loads).

In past we heard of inhuman working conditions, particularly in third world country, but never heard of inhuman learning conditions. You know – corporate working hours are 40 hours/week, normally stretches to 50 hours, 60 hours is real limit, but beyond is just impossible. Here 80 or 90 hours/week is so common. Preparation time for one session is 6 hours, how much for 3 or 4 lectures? Does it add to 24 hours or less or more?  (Are there any saviors, any law to protect us!), by the way till then we pray ….

• Oh God! Give me the courage to face these tough inhuman conditions.

We normally fool our boss about work progress, at least till next appraisal, (& then switch job – it is so easy), but these professors are too smart, they easily trace our cheating  for the class, and they don’t wait – they immediately reprimand, we are not used to listen such public feedback. (We recommended to train them for giving feedback), till then we pray …

• Oh God! Give some considerate faculties – who will ignore my laziness.

We are matured (meaning not young) & grown up (meaning growing body-mass index) students. Late thirties is norm, late fifties is not very rare too .But these professors treat us like younger one. Burdening us with higher expectations & stress too. Already group is exhibiting the symptoms of high stress with heightened anxiety, rivalries on petty issue, emotional burst outs, severe headaches (does someone said cardiac?), Better we pray till then as …

• Oh God! Please arrange emergency services outside classroom to cope with stress.

Lastly we hold 24X7 Jobs , & almost all have 24X7 families – work-life balance is already top issue ( & All work-life surveys supports that ) , Not sure in what rage or adrenaline rush we applied , paid & rushed for this one more 24X7 ordeal !!   (We don’t want others to commit the same mistakes), So we pray for all of them as …

• Oh God! Give me some serenity to accept work-life & Study Challenges, Courage to Change Priorities & Wisdom to know the difference !

• Image Source : http://www.zazzle.com/im_a_phd_student_therefore_this_cup_should_rem_mug-168212690695863852  ,
• Original Prayer is from Alcoholic Anonymous ,

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1. Maverick – A book every OB and HR practioner should read !

The same theme and message continued in the Maggi ads during the early 1990s where hungry children come to their mother and say ‘Mummy, bhook lagi hai’ (Mother, I’m hungry) and the mother’s response was ‘Bas do minute’ (Wait for 2-minute).  Please find below a TV ad of Maggi from early 1990s.

As Maggi became popular and an established brand the communication changed a little during the late 1990s where rather than asking for quick food children started asking for Maggi directly – ‘Badi Gazab Ki Bhook Lagi, Maggi Chahiye Mujhe Abhi’ i.e. ‘Feeling very hungry, I want Maggi quickly’. Though over the years Maggi was offered in different flavors the Masala variety is considered as the most successful one.

During the 2000s the focus of Maggi ads shifted from just a 2-minute noodle to also include the benefits of its protein and calcium content. Consequent with the emotional positioning on ‘Taste + Health’ the current tagline of Maggi is: ‘Taste Bhi, Health Bhi’.

During last few years many different product varieties were launched under the brand name Maggi. These include – rice noodle Mania, Maggi Vegetable Atta Noodles and ‘Sambar’ Dal Atta Noodles among others. One variation of rice noodle Mania is Maggi Cuppa Mania Insta Noodle which is mainly targeted to the today’s busy youth and hence the punch line “Just add garam paani … Carry on jaani”. Maggi Rice Noodle, Vegetable Atta Noodles and ‘Sambar’ Dal Atta Noodles are targeted to the whole family. All these Maggi noodles are positioned on functional attribute of convenient quick food and the emotional attributes of ‘Taste + Health’. Two other popular products under the Maggi brand are – Sauces and Soups. Maggi sauce is targeted to the mass market and positioned along the emotional appeal of ‘lip smacking taste’. Its popular slogan has remained over the decades ‘It’s different!’. A new avatar of Maggi sauce is Maggi Pichkoo. It is available in small affordable pack which is easy to carry & use. Maggi Pichkoo is intended to extend the use of the product to a wider consumer base.

Maggi Soups are offered in two varieties – MAGGI Healthy Soups and MAGGI Healthy Soup- Sanjeevni. Offered in different types like Home, Chef and Chinese Style – Maggi soups are targeted to the whole family and positioned along product attributes of ‘real vegetables, are low fat, low cholesterol and free from synthetic colours and added MSG’ along with the emotional attributes of ‘Taste + Health’. Sanjeevni is the instant single serve packs of soups and meant to extend the consumer base of Maggi soups.

Some other offerings under Maggi brand name are – MAGGI Pizza Mazza, MAGGI MAGIC Cubes, AGGI Bhuna Masala and MAGGI Coconut Milk Powder. To engage consumers and build relationship with them Maggi has a website named: www.maggi-club.in. Recently as part of its 25-year celebration it has launched an exciting and interactive website – www.meandmeri.in – where user stories and recipes around Maggi are shared.

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Sometimes you come across a book ,that has profound impact on the way you think &  will practice.

Maverick – By Ricardo Semler is such great piece of work. After reading the book , (in fact many times ) , I realized why Gautam Ghosh referred it as a Holy Grail of HR !. Book is about work , workplace and how to change it for better . Author Ricardo Semler demonstrates how to make good money and still dramatically improve the quality of work-life.   Here is the evidence which demonstrates that nothing is powerful than empowering the people. (When every other HR talk is filled with the promise of “Empowering people”.)

Maverick literary covers almost every aspect of HR or OB gamut . From selecting ,nurturing talent ,innovative teams to organizational hierarchy , structure and culture.  Maverick does not only challenges the stereotypes & well established ideas at work ,but shows how and why to change them .  Some of the ideas implemented at Ricardo Semler’s firm & shake up our belief’s are -

• It is so common to be busy emailing on Sunday ,   But how about learning to  enjoy  movie on Monday afternoon.
• Throwing out those big rule-books ,  employee manuals and just rely on common sense .
• In stead managers selects employee , let employee select managers ,  appraise/evaluate  too.
• In stead of some fancy compensation specialists  – let employee choose their own salary , perks and bonuses.
• Abolishing all employee designations , hierarchy and pyramidal structures.

Sounds odd , is it ? But Semco ( Firm described in Maverick ) proves all this , -as a  result of perfect democratic & Participative people management. Dramatic changes at Semco can be labeled as miracle ,but Ricardo Semler proved with sufficient examples that this can be replicated with any kind of firm. That is the best part of this book.

Book ,published in 1993 is the best read -not only for OB/OD & HR practitioners but also for all kind of business practitioners. If you have not read  this yet , It should be on top of your wish list.

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In India, there are four sub-brands under NESCAFÉ:

1. NESCAFÉ CLASSIC
2. NESCAFÉ SUNRISE Premium
3. NESCAFÉ SUNRISE Special
4. NESCAFÉ CAPPUCCINO

NESCAFÉ CLASSIC is targeted to urban youth and positioned as ‘100% Pure Instant Coffee’. The ads shows youths enjoying the NESCAFÉ CLASSIC experience and ends with the tagline ‘Coffee at its best’.

NESCAFÉ SUNRISE Premium is the granulated instant coffee. The target segment for the sub-brand is premium urban consumer. So, the ad shows an urban couple enjoying NESCAFÉ SUNRISE Premium and in the background soft music is played – ‘Jeevan mein aapke naya Sunrise’.

NESCAFÉ SUNRISE Special is again a granulated instant coffee brand but targeted at mid-segment and hence has an affordable price tag associated with it.

NESCAFÉ CAPPUCCINO is targeted to premium urban consumers and positioned as ‘a true café style experience at home’. Enjoy one of the most popular TVCs of the brand…

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The MILKMAID Fruit Yoghurts is similar to NESVITA Fruit Yoghurt with its low fat and ‘taste + health’ based positioning. The difference is that it does not have the benefit of Probiotics and don’t focus of improved digestion and instead positioned as ‘perfect for that indulgent moment providing the healthy sweetness’.

NESTLÉ MILKMAID FUNSHAKES is targeted to the kids and positioned as ‘tasty flavored milk’. Consequently the ads show that children who were not willing to drink milk earlier are now happy to drink MILKMAID FUNSHAKES. The focuses on product attribute of protein and calcium content as well as emotional attribute of happiness. The tagline of the ad is: ‘Doodh Badla, Mood Badla’.

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